Chasin' Them Better Days
by a-lynerickson
Summary: Country music has been a huge part of Aubreys life for the past 15 years. Nearly 3 years after her band has broken up, she is finally telling her story to the world. (Posted in misc. movies because there wasn't a music section!) original story.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Do you remember the first song that you ever heard? Think long and hard about this. I'm not talking about a nursery rhyme that your mom used to sing or one that you heard from a children's program on television. I'm talking about a song that you first heard that meant something to you. I can remember this moment clearly. It's funny how when we're older, we can remember things that happened so many years ago. We can remember how we felt at that exact moment in time when we heard the lyrics to the songs that would soon represent a part of our lives. It's a day that will forever stand out in my mind and be embedded in my heart. The year was 1988. I was six years old, and it was well past my bedtime on a snowy Christmas Eve. Our annual party had ended hours ago and most of my parent's family and friends cleared out except a few of my uncles. They were all sitting around our wooden bar in the basement playing a game of poker, having a few drinks, and shooting the shit with one another. A haze of smoke coveted the atmosphere from the cigarettes and by now, most of my family was drunk. My dad seemed to be the only sober one, and he was kicking everyone's ass. The muffled sounds of older country music came out of the speakers of our jukebox in the corner. Once my dad heard the beginning chords of this song come on, however he rushed over to turn it up with me in his arms.

"This, Aubs. This is real, true, American country music" he had told me, and I would never forget those words or the way that he looked at me. It was George Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today" and I soaked every word, every chord, and every melody of the song in. Everything about that song began to capture the moment for me. Is this what George had intended when he wrote the song? Did he intend for it to symbolize a part of my childhood? Did he set out to sing it to make the entire room scream the lyrics? You're damn right he did. He had every intention on doing that. Even as a child, I knew that lyrics had to mean something to these artists. From that point on, I had fallen in love with country music and had begged my dad to play the song over again until I caught onto the words and could sing along just like he was doing. From that moment on, I knew what I wanted to do in life. I knew that I had to be a part of this culture and be able to write a song that would mean something one day to the little girl that sat on her father's lap that late December night. I wanted to change the world one lyric at a time.

It may seem crazy, but most of us have wild dreams when we are children. We dream of being doctors or firefighters or superheroes, for that matter. My dad bought me my first guitar when I was 10 and from then on, I knew that I had it in me to become the next greatest singer/songwriter in country music history. My dad introduced me to a huge part of my life and made the decision of wanting to be a country music singer an easy one for me. When I told people my dream, all they could do was laugh. Sure, we grew up in a small town in the middle of nowhere. We weren't a poor family but we did have our struggles like all families do. But it was a dream. When I told my counselor that I wanted to pursue a career in county music, she laughed right in my face. I did it, and I am where I am today because of the laughing and the doubts. 15 years later, I have managed to score 21 top ten hits, 18 number one singles, 11 albums, 14 CMA and ACM awards. I've been inducted into two huge museums of the country music industry and managed to also receive 5 Grammys along the way. Blessed is an easy way to put it. Hard work and dedication are two of the words that I would pick to use though. When I was just 18, my band had a record deal lined up for us in Nashville but I decided to go to school instead to avoid the laughing and the fear of falling flat on my face. It hasn't been an easy ride that's for damn sure. It's good to look back on the memories and all of the times that you have failed. Sometimes, when I have a tough day I take a step back and ask myself this question: whose laughing now?

Nashville, Tennessee has been my home for the past 15 years. It's the only place that I probably ever could ever see myself calling home at one point in my life. It has always held a special place in my heart. The hustle and bustle of the big city is just something that I have always yearned for. I grew up in two small towns so it was a huge adjustment when I moved here when I was eighteen. My entire future had played out here right before my very eyes. However, tomorrow I am making one of the biggest changes of my life. I'm moving again, and that scares the shit out of me. I'm thirty three years old and have been around the world a hundred times, it feels like. Being a single mom, I think it is best though to move out of such a toxic area. Nashville is beautiful, don't get me wrong. The place comes alive at night and you meet so many people that are beyond talented and have the same goals, dreams, and aspirations that you have. Just like my dad had done all those years ago, he put his daughters ahead of the life that he was living in West Virginia to get us out of a toxic environment. I'm doing the same for my girls. Being a parent comes first before being a musician and a songwriter and I was just naive to realize that so many years ago.

As a final hoorah, my manager had asked myself and my former band mates if we would perform at the Opry's 80th anniversary show. A lot of press and hype had surrounded us for the past few years even after we decided to break up and move on with our own lives. Our local country television station had decided to do an interview with me too, this morning and I couldn't say no. Some of these things you just can't back out of, no matter how hard you try. I had recently written and published a book about the history and behind the scenes details of the band. I had been keeping a lot of these things bottled up for the past few years and it felt good to let it all out. I've always been a writer before I was a musician. That will never change. My band mates, too thought it would be a great idea. It's a way to tell our our story to the world around us that watched us blossom under a microscope the past 15 years. In it, I set the record straight about a lot of things too. It's a funny thing. Press, I mean. They're nice and ask you all of these questions because they are just doing their job but then they decide that they didn't like something that you had said or what you stand for and your words get twisted. Everything that you thought no one knew about is suddenly the talk and gossip with the world. It comes with the fame, I guess is the way that you have to look about things.

Arriving at the television studio this morning was very nostalgic. CMT has been a huge staple here in Nashville since I could remember. You were an instant hit if your video was aired on the station. I had been here countless times but this time: this time it felt different. Even after being one fourth of one of the biggest bands in country music for so long, I felt like I no longer belonged to this world. The receptionist, Terri, had told me to wait in the lobby and one of the interviewers would be ready to meet with me soon to get my prepped for camera. I was used to it by now, and sat patiently in one of the red leather seats in the secluded waiting room. A few minutes had passed before a tall, slim, brunette made her way into the area.

"You must be Aubrey Header," she exclaimed, her accent holding onto every word that escaped her mouth.

I looked up at her, a little baffled and timid. "That's me," I said as I stood up and met her halfway. "It's actually Aubrey Williamson, now" I explained.

"It's really nice to finally meet you," she told me, sticking out her hand for me to shake. "I'm Brittani, I'll be the one interviewing you about your book today,"

I nodded my head in reply as she told me to follow her this way. I was whisked off to hair and makeup and soon after, led into the room that we would be conducting the interview in.

"Make yourself at home," she told me. "Off the record, I read the entire book. I couldn't put it down. I've been a Third String fan my entire life. You guys got me through some tough times," she said, as we took our seats across from each other.

"Thank you. That means a lot actually," I told her. The camera men turned all of the devices on and got us situated. After that, Brittani introduced herself and me. I had done thousands of interviews in this room, it's felt like. None were more frightening than this one though.

"So, I'll just get right to it. How long did it take you to write the book?" She asked me.

"It took me about two and a half years to sort everything out and finally put it all on paper," I said. "Although I have been writing songs since I was a kid, with this it just felt like I was pouring the last 15 years of my life out to people that have gotten me through some of the hard times. A big part of country music is the fan base that we make. We develop new fans all of the time even when the old ones stick around through it all. I felt like I owed it to them to get the record straight about a lot of things that most people had just assumed happened,"

"I've been a Third String fan my entire life so I got really excited when I heard that this book was coming out. I think I read it all in the span of three days. I couldn't put it down. You have inspired a lot of us to follow our dreams whatever that may be. So I do appreciate that more than you'll ever know," she took a pause for a moment. "You are the only band member here today and you were the front girl for a lot of years with the band. Not always in the beginning though, right?"

"Right. My best friend, Jackson Header was the front man for a few years when we were just starting out. Forming a band was always his idea and I don't know how we would have even got started if it wasn't for him,"

"What was it like, the first time that you met Jax? Did you guys click right away?"

"Kind of. Jax is a very difficult person to read most of the time but when we met that night, I knew that there was something magical there," I had explained. Thinking about that moment truly did bring a tear to my eye. Jackson Header. A confused yet delicate man with a heart of gold. He was my first friend that I had made during my move to Ohio. Thinking about to the day that we met takes me back to a simpler time in my life. I was seventeen, naive, and hadn't set out to do anything that night but line dance. God had other plans for me though and that's okay.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

In August of 1999, my parents messy divorced was finally set in stone. They had been going to court for the past couple of months and my mom was court ordered to check herself into a rehab facility. It was hard on us all, although my mom had been an alcoholic since I could remember. It was sad to see someone's life be over-taken by alcohol like my mom's had. My mother was beautiful, she just lived an unfortunate life. She was a graduate from the University of West Virginia where she met my father and later became a writer in the local paper. They married a few years later and had my sister, Ashleigh whom was 19 at the time of their divorce. After I was born, my mom lost her job when they told her that they would be hiring a new, younger girl to work her music column. She couldn't find work anywhere and it was discouraging to her. She started drinking heavily and my father relied on my sister and I to take care of her and things around the house. We would get home from school around 2:30 in the afternoon and find her passed out on the couch with an open Bud Light and a half-empty bottle of Jameson on the coffee table in front of her. Those days were the easiest. It was the days that she would get a late start on drinking that were the toughest. She would be half in the bag when we came home demanding that we did this and that. She would take a lot of her anger out on my sister and myself and latched out in violence most of the time. I loved her, but by no means should a mother put her hands on her 10 and 8 year old. She checked herself into rehab and began attending AA classes after receiving her first DUI. She spent three years in prison and was clean when she came out. After learning that my dad was thinking about leaving her the first time, she turned back to the bottle and thought that he might be able to help her. She had refused it a thousand times and finally, one day he threw divorce papers in front of her. She agreed and full custody was granted to my father. He wanted to get us out of West Virginia and offered to buy my grandparents house that summer. They agreed and moved to a small condo in Brecksville, about 25 minutes away from Mince. Mince was smaller than Mount Elias, WV which was where we were living before. It was right outside of Cuyahoga Falls and had about 560 or so people living there. My dad swore up and down that we were going to love the place, but I honestly didn't know how to feel. Moving before your senior year in high school isn't ideal for most people. I was a very shy and timid person to begin with and having to make friends all over again wasn't something that I was completely interested in.

The first day that we arrived was pretty hectic. My grandparents let my dad keep most of the furniture that was in the house, but we brought a lot of our old stuff, too. I was finishing up unpacking boxes when my sister came into my room. It was rare. Ashleigh and I were two completely different people: it's always been like that. For her to even come in my room was weird.

"You doing okay?" she asked me as she stood in my doorway.

"Yep," I replied.

"Do you have any plans tonight?"

"Just finishing up unpacking. Probably going to take a shower and lay down. I have school orientation in the morning, apparently,"

"On a Thursday?" she asked.

"I guess. That's what the counselor told dad. I have to pick my classes and stuff,"

"Oh, okay," Ashleigh replied. She was attending Kent State in a few weeks. The school was pretty close to Mince, so my dad told her that she couldn't stay in the dorms her first year and advised her to just commute.

"Why?"

"Well, when I was at the gas station earlier I passed this bar. I guess they have a 16 and over night tonight and line dance lessons. Would you want to go? I think it'll be fun,"

"I'll pass," I replied.

"Come on Aubs. I think it'll be a good idea to get out for awhile. After all of this shit that's been going on the past few months it'll be good to let some steam off,"

"I don't know Ash. I'm really not up for it. I just want to stay in,"

"Like always," she said to me, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You never want to do anything. You're always in your room by yourself. It's not healthy. You're a teenager. You should want to go out and have fun. Come on. Please. I'm begging. I really want to go and I don't want to go by myself,"

I thought about it for a moment. One night out before school started really wouldn't hurt, right? "Ugh, fine. I'll go," I told her. "I don't know how to dance though,"

"So? That doesn't matter. They offer lessons, plus I can't dance either. We'll learn together," she paused for a moment. "Get dressed and meet me downstairs in fifteen minutes,"

I kept my outfit choice simple that night while Ashleigh chose to get dolled up. In no time, we had arrived at the bar called "Whiskey River". It was packed with people from wall to wall, and even more on the dance floor it seemed like. Music was blaring through the speakers. There were no tables left, so Ash and I stood awkwardly for about 10 minutes before deciding to join in on the dancing. It had been a long time since either of us had line danced, but we figured we had to have some skill left in us. We were soon proven wrong. Most of these teenagers were probably regulars and damn, they were good. The song changed over to Mark Chestnutt's "Bubba Shot the Jukebox" and the place went wild! We decided to stay in the very back and just observe. Ashleigh had quickly caught on by the second verse which discouraged me a little bit. I had given up all hope though when I felt my entire backside land on the wooden floor.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry!" I heard a gentleman tell me.

"You should be, asshole! Did you not see us right here?!" Ashleigh exclaimed over the music.

"It was an accident, I am so sorry," he said.

I grabbed onto Ash's hand as she pulled me up onto my feet. After re-gaining my balance I turned around to the guy that had bumped into me. I knew that it was an accident, but of course, Ashleigh had to make a bigger deal out of it than necessary.

"Do you want some ice or something?" I heard him ask me. All of a sudden, my brain turned to mush. He was cute and had these deep, blue, magnetic eyes that you could feel yourself get lost in. He stood about 5'll and had a slim figure with short brunette hair.

"I'm okay, I promise. I know it was an accident. It's okay," I replied after a moment of awkward silence.

"I feel horrible,"

"Don't. I'm a klutz. It was bound to happen anyway," I replied. This was weird. I was actually talking to a guy. This was different. This has never happened before.

"I really do feel bad. I probably ruined your night,"

"You didn't," I exclaimed over the music.

"I'm Jackson! What's your name?" he asked.

"I'm Aubrey. This is Ashleigh," I told him.

"It's nice to meet y'all. You guys want a drink or something? We have a table over there,"

"Yeah, sure," Ashleigh said, flashing a smile in his direction. We began to follow Jackson over to the table that was tucked away in the far corner of the bar.

"What can I get y'all to drink? My treat," he said.

"Water's good," I told him.

"Same," Ashleigh replied.

Jackson chuckled. "You guys must not be from around here. They really don't check IDs once you wash the black X's off of your hands," "I can get you a beer if you want,"

"Nope, water's good for the both of us," Ashleigh told him. Jackson shrugged and began making his way to the bar. "Aubs, he's cute," she told me in a sing-song voice as soon as he was out of sight.

"Ashleigh!" I exclaimed.

"What? I'm not saying you have to marry the kid. Just maybe fool around a little bit," she joked.

"You're horrible," I told her, as I focused my gaze back on the dance floor. I was in so much pain right now, but I wasn't going to let her know that. I could feel a bruise forming on my backside and on my ass, but I wasn't going to ruin my sister's night. Jackson made his way back in no time and set the drinks down in front of us.

"Thank you," Ashleigh replied.

"Yeah, no problem," he said, taking a sip out of his Budweiser. We sat in silence for a few more minutes until three other guys began to make their way over to the table.

"Dude, we have been looking for you everywhere," the blonde said.

"I've been here. Had a little mishap on the dance floor but its okay now,"

"Whose this?" the shorter brunette asked.

"This was my little mishap on the dance floor. I accidentally knocked Aubrey over. And this is her friend Ashleigh,"

"Sister, actually," Ashleigh said, flashing a flirtatious smile their way.

"See, Jax this is why I can't take you anywhere," the blonde replied. "I'm Trenton. I'm his older brother. If he keeps misbehaving, tell me," he joked.

"Fucking hilarious dude," Jax said. One of the other guys punched him on his shoulder and cleared his throat. "Calm your pants, dude. These are my two friends Caleb and Nick,"

"Best friends," the shorter brunette chimed in and put his arm around Jax.

"Nice to meet y'all," I replied. The song changed in rotation and the guys soon asked us if we wanted to dance. Jax and I declined, so Caleb whisked Ashleigh off to the dance floor. "Don't let me ruin your good time," I told him.

"You're not," he smiled. "I'm not much of a dancer. I just come to get out of the house,"

"Yeah, same," I told him. More awkward silence.

"Wanna go outside for a minute? I could use a cig," he told me. I nodded in reply and we made our way onto the deck. Despite it being muggy, it was still a nice night. The stars were out and the sky was clear. It was pretty quiet out here, too compared to inside. A few other people were taking breaks, too so the outdoor bar was in full use. It was peaceful.

"Smoke?" Jax asked me, as he pulled his Marlboros out of his back pocket.

"No thanks," I told him.

He lit his cigarette and took a long drag. "So, where are you from?" he began after a moment of silence.

"Mount Elias, West Virginia. It's about a half an hour or so out of Charleston. It's a nice, quaint small town," I explained.

"So not much of a change for you moving here, right?"

"Not that I can tell," I chuckled.

"That's good. That's gotta be hard though, moving right before your senior year of high school,"

"It is, but there's nothing I can do it about it in all honesty," I told him. "My dad wanted to move so we couldn't say no,"

"Why the move all of a sudden?" he asked me.

"What is this, 20 questions?" I chuckled.

"I'm just trying to get to know you," he replied. "That's all. Just trying to figure you out. You're easy to read,"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He took another drag off of his cigarette. "It means that you wear your heart on your sleeve. You show your emotions. You show when you're nervous, when you're happy. You show it all, Aubrey,"

"You barely know me," I replied.

"So? I'd like to get to know you. I think you're beautiful and you seem like a great girl. I'll bet we have a lot in common,"

I was blushing by this point. It was rare that guys ever talked to me, yet flirted with me. I was definitely feeling his vibe. I think. Jackson was a lot harder to read than I was, apparently. "Well, thank you," I began. "But how do you know we have a lot in common?"

"Please. Both from small towns. Clearly like country music. Older siblings dragged us here on a Wednesday night. Pretty good start if you ask me," he put his cigarette out and took a seat next to me at the other wooden deck chair.

"Well, yeah," I chuckled. "The obvious things,"

He laughed, too. "What do you want to do after you graduate high school?"

"I'm actually going to Vanderbilt for music. Or, at least I plan to that is. If I get in,"

"That's awesome. What all do you do music wise?"

"I sing and I write. Dabble in guitar a little bit,"

"Thats pretty amazing," Jackson began.

"What about you?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure, actually. I have a couple of ideas in mind..."

"Like?" I asked him.

"Music, too. I'm thinking about high tailing it to Nashville when schools over"

"That's fantastic," I told him. After that, all of the awkwardness just seemed to disappear. We had began to talk about some of our dreams and aspirations of music and just life, in general. I couldn't believe how long we had been sitting there for. Jax was the easiest guy to talk to, however. I just couldn't stop sharing parts of my life with him.

"You ready to go?" Ashleigh asked me. "I'm beat, and you have school tomorrow," she laughed.

It hadn't crossed my mind that we were out here talking for nearly three hours until Ash asked if I was ready to go. "Yeah, that's fine," I told her.

"Well, I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow," Jax told me.

I nodded and smiled at him. "Yeah, I guess I'll see you then," I said, disappointment lingering in my every word. The entire ride home, I was silent. For once, I couldn't get my mind off of a boy.


End file.
